The Big Ten seems to be ready to make the first move, but I agree with Michael Felder at In The Bleachers who says that the ACC, SEC and Pac 10 would be wise to make their moves first. The Big East and Big 12 should be trying to sure up their conferences by considering creative expansion as well. The Big East has tried to take a step in that direction by hiring Paul Tagliabue. I don’t think that is going to help.

So it appears that the conference alignment for my beloved Syracuse Orange is going to change dramatically. If the Big Ten expands by more than one program the Orange will be heavily considered for an invitation. Brian Bennett of ESPN’s Big East Football blog posted his Big East expansion worry-o-meter today. He lists Syracuse as the third most likely school to get an invitation from the Big Ten behind Rutgers and Pittsburgh.

There would certainly be positives in joining the Big Ten. The league currently pays out $22 million to each of its members per year. The Big Ten Network offers a lot of potential for additional revenue, especially if expansion hits major television markets. The Big Ten should also provide an opportunity to re-ignite the football rivalry with Penn State and start new rivalries with other Midwest high profile programs.

If the Orange are not invited to join the Big Ten it is likely that they will be one of only a handful of football playing schools left in the Big East. They should be a nice target for an ACC expansion. Syracuse was initially invited to join the ACC in the first phase of the early 2000s expansion but was then uninvited. Nice work John Swofford. This time the invite would be for real.

A major positive of joining the ACC would be the conference’s focus on basketball. While this means there won’t be as much revenue in the mix, it does play to the strength of the sports programs at the school. How electric would the Carrier Dome be for a late February match up against Duke or UNC? Immediately Syracuse would take its deserved place among the blue bloods of the sport. Another plus of ACC membership would be lacrosse. The ACC would inarguably be the best lacrosse conference in the country.

So where would I like to see Syracuse end up? It’s taken me a while to figure this out and that is why this post has been delayed. I’d like to see them join the ACC. It’s hard to pass up the money the Big Ten would bring but the ACC would be the more natural fit to me. I like the conference’s emphasis on basketball and I think the football program would have a better chance for success. I also think that it would be likely that UConn would be invited to join the ACC as well. That would bring a good rival into the conference with the Orange.

On a personal note, joining the ACC would enable me to see the Orange much more often as living in Raleigh I could go to games at N.C. State, North Carolina and Duke.

So share with me Orange fans, what conference would you like to see Syracuse join?

No shot that USF, Cinci, WVU, Louisville gets into the ACC unless it is absolutely dire straits. Not good enough academically and the league wouldn’t stand for it. If they had a hard time letting FSU in, in 1990 because of their academics as the Noles were title contenders can you imagine teams that are lower on the football and academic rung?

I would definitely agree with you on the ACC not taking Cincinnati and Louisville but strangely SI has ACC taking ‘Cuse, WVU, Cincinnati and Louisville. No mention of UConn. That would happen after a 5 team Big Ten expansion of ND, Mizzou, Nebraska, Pitt and Rutgers.

Craig – I can definitely see the SEC going after FSU like you mention. I think the ACC would be good with USF because they could carry their own weight. Their football program has been pretty good and their basketball program is catching up.

I would prefer the Big East get off it’s hiney and do what is needed to peotect the football schools but if we must endure a change, I would Cuse/Pitt/UCONN/WVU all go to the ACC. That would be dynamite! North division Va Tech, Maryland, BC, Virginia and those four. Pretty cool, plus it would undoubted be the best bball conf in the land and lock up a good portion of NYC’s market with Cuse/UCONN and DUKE/UNC.

I hate all of this expansion talk but if it happens, as a Virginia Tech fan, I would love to see Syracuse and UCONN in the ACC. Can you imagine the hoops possibilities?! I always enjoyed playing Syracuse as former conference mates in the Big East. I agree that only in an apocalyptic scenario would Louisville and/or WVU be invited to join. There are rumblings that the SEC would consider WVU anyway.

Bryan – Yes I agree that the addition of Syracuse and UConn would make the ACC the premier basketball conference by a wide margin. I think the SEC has bigger things in mind than WVU…I should have that entry up tomorow.

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